Online Nesting Software
for CNC, Laser & Plasma Cutting
Upload DXF parts, pick a sheet, and get an optimized layout in seconds for laser, plasma, waterjet and CNC routers. Works in both metric mm and US inches, from standard sheets to 4x8 CNC router beds and sheet metal blanks. Multi-sheet, manual touch-up, and a built-in DXF Health Checker.
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Built for real
CNC work
Not just a bin-packer. Each feature below solves a specific problem that costs shops money or time every single day.
True No-Fit-Polygon Nesting
A dedicated no-fit-polygon (NFP) algorithm places parts by their exact contours, not bounding boxes. Concave shapes — L, T, U, brackets, jigsaw profiles — interlock and tuck into each other instead of wasting space to phantom clearance.
7 Optimization Levels
From a two-second preview to a multi-minute genetic search, plus a dedicated true-shape interlock pass. Pick the speed–quality tradeoff that fits the job.
Part-in-Part Hole Filling
Smaller pieces nest inside the cutouts of larger ones. Waste zones that every other tool abandons become usable real estate — measurably higher yield per sheet.
No-Cut Zones
Draw directly on the sheet to mark knots, scratches, drill holes, or defect areas. The optimizer treats those regions as solid obstacles and routes every part around them.
Multi-Sheet Overflow
When the first sheet fills up, remaining parts flow automatically onto the next. Mix sheet sizes mid-job. Download every layout as a single combined DXF.
Manual Touch-Up
After the engine finishes, drag any part to a better spot, rotate in fine steps, or pull overflow pieces back onto the sheet by hand. Your judgment, applied precisely.
Optimization Levels
More time = better results. Pick what fits your job.
Quick
<10sInstant single-pass layout. Good enough to check if parts fit.
Balanced
~20sTries 2 strategies and picks the better one. Solid quality, fast.
Thorough
~1minTests 4 different placement approaches plus fills empty voids.
Genetic
2-3minEvolves thousands of part orderings to find arrangements that other methods miss.
Extreme NFP
5-8minMaximum quality. Extended search, plus true-shape no-fit-polygon refinement on concave parts. Every percent counts.
Interlock NFP
1-3minTrue-shape no-fit-polygon nesting. Concave parts tuck into each other instead of wasting bounding-box space.
Four steps, no learning curve
From DXF to optimized layout in under a minute.
- 01
Upload
Drop your DXF parts. Define a sheet by upload, manual size, or pick from the library.
- 02
Configure
Set gap, kerf, edge offset, rotation steps, and pick an optimization level.
- 03
Optimize
One click. Watch live as the nesting engine packs everything onto your sheet.
- 04
Download
Get your nested DXF, ready for RDWorks, LightBurn, or any CAM software.
The free DXF Health Checker
Drop a DXF, DWG or SVG and see exactly what's wrong before your laser does. Detects geometry, format and sizing issues — and fixes most of them with one click. Independent of the nesting tool, runs entirely in your browser, downloads a corrected DXF.
Open contours
Polylines whose endpoints don't meet — they cut as paths instead of shapes.
Self-intersections
Figure-8 paths and kinked outlines that confuse cutting controllers.
Splines & 3D entities
Curves and 3D solids most cutters can't process. Auto-flattens splines.
Duplicate entities
The same line drawn twice — causes double-cuts, scorched edges, wasted time.
Tiny gaps
Sub-millimeter gaps that look closed in CAD but cut as open paths.
Sub-kerf features
Detail thinner than your kerf — slits and slivers that won't cut cleanly.
Block references
Geometry hidden inside INSERTs. One click explodes everything to top level.
Hatches, dimensions, text
Drafting helpers that aren't cuttable paths. Strip them with one click.
Used by makers and CNC operators to clean up DXF files exported from Fusion 360, Inkscape, Illustrator, AutoCAD, LibreCAD and others.
From beta to public launch
We're building Nestpact in public. Here's what's already shipped, what you can try right now, and what's coming next.
- Shipped
DXF Health Checker
Free public release. Drop a DXF, get a triaged list of issues and a corrected file. Runs entirely in the browser, no signup.
- 8 issue categories detected
- One-click auto-fixes
- Anonymous, no upload retention
- Public beta
Nesting Engine
Public beta is live. Six optimization tiers including true no-fit-polygon nesting, automatic multi-sheet, manual touch-up, no-cut zones, kerf compensation. Free during beta, open to anyone.
- Quick / Balanced / Thorough / Genetic / Extreme / Interlock (NFP)
- Auto-nest until done with notifications
- ZIP + folder bulk upload
- In progress
Public Launch
Polishing for general availability. Accounts, nest history, a sheet-size library, and downloadable session archives are coming online now.
- Free tier with everyday limits
- Saved sheet library
- Per-job history & re-runs
- On the roadmap
Pro tier + API
Higher concurrent jobs, priority compute, and a programmatic API for shops that need to drive Nestpact from their own tooling.
- Priority queue
- REST + webhook API
- Team workspaces
Want to influence what ships next? Drop your email above and we'll loop you in early.
Free to start. Scale when your jobs do.
The free tier is permanent, not a trial. Start nesting today with no card and upgrade when you hit the limits.
Use Cases
Nestpact is online nesting software for laser cutting, plasma cutting, waterjet, CNC routers and woodworking. Upload your DXF parts, configure kerf width and edge offset, pick a material (sheet metal, steel, aluminum, plywood, MDF, acrylic, composites) and the optimizer returns a tight layout you can still touch up by hand. Multi-sheet overflow, grain-aware rotation, no-cut zones and a built-in ruler are included.
CNC Router
Optimize part placement on full sheet goods for CNC routers and woodworking.
Plywood & MDF
Respect grain direction with 90-degree rotation. Maximize yield from expensive sheets.
Laser Cutting
Kerf compensation and tight spacing for laser cutters on acrylic, wood, and thin metals.
Sheet Metal
Nest parts on steel, aluminum, or stainless for plasma, waterjet, or laser cutting.
Plasma & Waterjet
Configure kerf width and edge clearance for clean cuts on thick plate material.
Signage & Fabrication
Layout signs, panels, and parts on composite sheets. Download DXF for any CAM software.
FAQ
Yes. Nestpact is online nesting software that runs in your browser. Upload a DXF, nest your parts on the sheet, edit the layout by hand if you want, and download the optimized DXF. Nothing to install. The beta does not require signup.
Yes. Nestpact is built for laser cutting, plasma cutting, waterjet and CNC router workflows. Configure the kerf width to match your beam or bit, set part rotations and gap, and download the layout DXF for any CAM software.
Nestpact handles sheet metal nesting and steel nesting for plasma, waterjet and laser cutting. Set kerf width and edge offset to match the machine, upload the parts DXF, and the optimizer arranges them on the steel, aluminum or stainless sheet. Works for thin sheet and thick plate alike.
No installation. Nestpact is online nesting software — it runs entirely in any modern web browser on desktop, tablet or mobile. There is nothing to download and no signup required for the beta.
Standard DXF files from any CAD software: AutoCAD, Fusion 360, SolidWorks, FreeCAD, LibreCAD, Inkscape, and more. Supports lines, polylines, circles, arcs, splines, ellipses, and block inserts. Output is also DXF, ready for any CAM.
The core nesting software is free with no time limit. Paid tiers unlock higher part counts per job, advanced optimization presets, and priority processing. There will always be a free tier.
A free DXF validator. Drop a file in and it flags anything that would break a clean cut: open contours, duplicate lines, micro-segments, near-coincident points, self-intersections. The visual preview shows exactly where each issue sits on the geometry.
Three severity tiers. Blocking issues (open contours, self-intersections) where the cut won't complete cleanly. Waste issues (duplicate or overlapping geometry) where the laser traces the same line twice. Hidden issues (sub-millimetre segments, near-coincident endpoints) that some controllers silently choke on.
Yes for most of them. Pick the fixes you want, hit Apply, download the cleaned DXF. It closes nearly-closed paths, snaps near-coincident endpoints, removes micro-segments, and deduplicates overlapping lines. Works on output from Fusion 360, AutoCAD, Inkscape, Illustrator, LibreCAD, and the rest.
No. The checker is fully usable without signing up. Drop in a file, see the issues, fix what you need, and download — no email, no login.
Any flat stock: plywood, MDF, acrylic, sheet metal, leather, foam, composites, stone. Configure gap, kerf, and edge offsets to match your material and cutting method.
Set rotation to "None" or "90 degrees" for grain-sensitive materials. Parts will only be placed along or across the grain. For metal or acrylic, enable free rotation for tighter packing.
Nestpact outputs standard DXF files. Import them into RDWorks, LightBurn, Mach3, UCCNC, SheetCAM, FlashCut, or any other CAM software to generate toolpaths.
Yes. The "Interlock" optimization level runs a dedicated true no-fit-polygon algorithm. Instead of treating each part as a bounding box, it places parts by their exact contours so concave shapes — L, T, U, brackets, jigsaw profiles — tuck into each other and interlock. That recovers the space bounding-box packing wastes to phantom clearance, which means higher utilization on irregular parts.
Yes. Interior contours are detected automatically. With Hole Filling enabled, smaller parts can be placed inside the cutouts of larger ones.
Save the current sheet and continue on another — even with different dimensions. Download all sheet layouts when you're done.
Ready to optimize your layouts?
Try Nestpact